Standard - Bant Control

23
42
18
7
27
2
24
Control
TCGPlayer $240
Cardmarket €235
Cardhoarder 4 Tix
  • Deck contains 24 invalid cards for this format: Settle the Wreckage (XLN), Ixalan's Binding (XLN), Glacial Fortress (XLN), Sunpetal Grove (XLN), Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin (XLN), Memorial to Genius (DOM), Hinterland Harbor (DOM), Teferi, Hero of Dominaria (DOM), Temple Garden (GRN), Sinister Sabotage (GRN), Wilderness Reclamation (RNA), Absorb (RNA), Hydroid Krasis (RNA), Frilled Mystic (RNA), Warrant // Warden (RNA), Breeding Pool (RNA), Hallowed Fountain (RNA), Growth Spiral (PRNA), Spell Pierce (XLN), The Immortal Sun (RIX), Teferi, Hero of Dominaria (DOM), Blink of an Eye (DOM), Devious Cover-Up (GRN), Deputy of Detention (RNA)
Main 60 cards (19 distinct)
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (27)
$0.25€0.110.03
$0.22€0.140.03
$2.91€2.670.02
$1.00€0.740.03
$3.42€1.990.02
$0.47€0.480.02
$0.26€0.110.02
Creature (7)
$1.04€1.100.06
$0.24€0.110.03
Planeswalker (2)
$7.29€12.440.17
Land (24)
$16.47€15.090.17
$1.15€0.870.02
$0.79€0.070.03
$8.25€9.460.17
$2.70€2.030.02
$10.04€9.740.24
$1.10€0.970.02
$0.21€0.140.03
Side 15 cards (6 distinct)
$0.40€0.360.02
$0.15€0.160.03
$0.25€0.150.03
$0.25€0.190.03
$15.52€11.700.03
$7.29€12.440.17

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Description

Migrating Deck to new link

for Pre-Season 3.

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW LINK

 

 

 

 

3/13/19 - Modified main deck to correspond with current list. Changed title as we are now in Pre-season 3. Modified sideboard for Bo1 including Immortal Sun.
3/8/19 - Hit Mythic in Pre-Season three with current list, which is modified slightly from the list that was in place when I did the below write-up.  Here's my ranking at hitting Mythic (imgur link).
 In pre-season two, this Bant Control made it to mythic with at least a 69.27% win rate. I ultimately hit Mythic ranking with 192 games won and 133 games lost. .This list is for the control variant of Bant, which, in my opinion is the best color combination for control presently available. Unlike Esper, Sultai or Temur control- Bant gives us access to the absolute best of all worlds.

Unlike Esper, you have the access to Wilderness Reclamationimage, Hydroid Krasisimage and Frilled Mysticimage. You also have the amazing synergy of (see below) of Wilderness Reclamationimage and Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage.

Unlike Sultai and Temur you have access to Ixalan's Bindingimage, Settle the Wreckageimage and Warrant // Wardenimage. Keep in mind that Wilderness Reclamationimage supercharges the effectiveness of Ixalan's Bindingimage by diminishing the draw back of playing it on a main phase.

Bant has access to the best, and is uniquely strong in its positioning against the entirety of the current meta.

69.27% is probably a little lower than the actual winrate, because on a few of the nights I played way too late, got sleepy and started playing jank decks like land destruction. I know that win rate sounds a little high to be believable, so I decided to link a playlist of my twitch VODs below. All 24+ hours of the climb, less a few games played from a separate computer. My average game time was about 6 minutes per game

If you have a question relating to gameplay of this deck, post it in the comment section below. I'll try to respond to all of them very quickly. I also receive Discord notifications on my phone. @CaptainJamoke on the Aetherhub Discord or the Compleat Discord servers.

 

LETS START WITH THE CARD CHOICES

SCROLL DOWN FOR DECK MATCHUPS AND GAMEPLAY

 

image + image + image

Wilderness Reclamationimage + Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage + Teferi, Hero of Dominariaimage Once you have a transformed Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage and Wilderness Reclamationimage out it’s important to do the following - especially if you have two Wilderness Reclamationimage on the board. First, place a stop on your end steps (the last two phases of your turn to be safe) and keep enough mana to use Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage (assuming you don't have a main phase play). Next, on your end step, tap Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage using it's ability. This will place it on the stack before Wilderness Reclamationimage resolves. Pick your card, hit resolve and let Wilderness Reclamationimage resolve. Repeat for multiple Wilderness Reclamationimage . If you also have a Teferi, Hero of Dominariaimage out and have used the +1 ability, the same concept applies. This synergy generates you a tremendous advantage against your opponents. NOTE that you should be keeping mana open for your opponents turn. Use your last casting of Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage on your opponents turn - essentially, you want to save one “search” to cast in response to an opponents spell or at the end of their turn as they will see which card you took selected. Also, its probably a good habit to just always place a stop on your opponent's end step. 

 

image

Settle the Wreckageimage as a 3-of provides a solid answer to creature based decks, and is integral to the gate matchup as well. One of the few ways to get rid of Gate Colossusimage. If you cheap out and run less than three you will get run over in the aggro match-ups.

 

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Ixalan's Bindingimage is fantastic in this meta. A single resolved Ixalan's Bindingimage can shut down so many decks that are currently played at top levels. Also provides removal of a lot of cards that this deck is weak to, such as Rhythm of the Wildimage. Many popular decks that are currently played at high ranking use only a few win condititions, and a single Ixalan's Bindingimage can often win you the game on the spot.

 

image

With no “x”-costed cards, Wilderness Reclamationimage might seem like an unconvential inclusion. However,  playing this four-cost enchantment allows you to abuse search for Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage, safely play cards on you main phase while keeping mana for counter spells, and provides immense pressure upon your opponent as a bluff-tool. 

 

image

In my opinion, Warrant // Wardenimage is one of the most underplayed and undervalued cards that was recently released; Warrant // Wardenimage provides early game control against aggro while concomitantly functioning as a late game kill condition. Another oft overlooked benefit is the ability to return a creature to the top of the deck. Use this on an opponents attacker to lock-out your opponent’s next draw, or cast it on your own attacking Frilled Mysticimage / Hydroid Krasisimage to guarantee a clutch top-deck for yourself.

 

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Growth Spiralimage allows you to play Wilderness Reclamationimage on turn 3, Settle the Wreckageimage on turn 3, Teferi, Hero of Dominariaimage on turn 4, etc. Alleviate wrong-color hands, dump extra mana. Early game, if playing against a deck with blue-mana, consider playing Growth Spiralimage on your turn to avoid being spell pierced. An early game Growth Spiralimage (or Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage) needs to make it onto the board. This is how you ensure that you have enough mana to hit spells on curve.

 

image + image

If you have the emblem from Teferi, Hero of Dominariaimage  and you cast a Hydroid Krasisimage your opponent will probably be conceding immediately. The card draw from Hydroid Krasisimage will trigger Teferi, Hero of Dominariaimage multiple times, and you'll even be able to target their lands once you've removed everything else. Don't be afraid to use the -8 ability of Teferi, Hero of Dominariaimage even if it only has 8 loyalty counters. Getting that emblem out is a #1 priority.

 

24 LANDS (why not more??)

I see a lot of information saying that a deck needs to run 26 lands to effectively use Growth Spiralimage.  With 26 or even 25 lands I found myself flooded too often. Twenty-four lands, in my practice, has been the sweet spot for consistently hitting your four-mana-by-turn-four requirement. Keep in mind that Growth Spiralimage and Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage are what allows our land count to stay low. However, if you are without the wildcards for Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage or Growth Spiralimage stick to 26 lands (two more islands to provide turn 3 counterspell consistency).

ISLANDS ARE IMPORTANT.

ISLANDS ARE IMPORTANT.

And again, ISLANDS ARE IMPORTANT.

A two-land hand with one blue source is better than a three-land hand with no blue sources.

 

Matchups

I have a positive win rate against every matchup in the meta with this deck. Understandably, though, some can be tough.

 

Mono White Lifegain:

image

Ixalan's Bindingimage and Warrant // Wardenimage will win you games. Remember that Warrant // Wardenimage will cause the card you target to go to the top of their deck. Use it on an Ajani's Pridemateimage and it loses its counters and clogs their next draw. Aggro decks typically play fewer lands, so Warrant // Wardenimage can cause your opponents mana issues in a lot of games. Don't burn all your mana once you have Wilderness Reclamationimage / Teferi, Hero of Dominariaimage down- keep mana open to counterspell your opponent's Ixalan's Bindingimage.

 

Boros Aggro:

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Watch out for Heroic Reinforcementsimage by floating enough counterspell mana. Try and keep your life out of Banefireimage range. Otherwise, this is similar to the Mono White Lifegain matchup.

 

Mono Red Aggro:

image

Warrant // Wardenimage again. Sometimes its ok to use a Settle the Wreckageimage against a single creature if you're preventing spectacle activation (Light Up the Stageimage or Skewer the Criticsimage. If you need to, use Absorbimage on one of your own spells to gain a little extra life in a pinch. Though favorable due to our life gain, our Settle the Wreckageimage and/or Warrant // Wardenimage, this is the least favored matchup, ometimes your opponent will win by turn four and you will not have drawn a Warrant // Wardenimage or an Absorbimage.

 

Gates:

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Float mana to counterspell Guild Summitimage. Ixalan's Bindingimage priority number one is Guild Summitimage, next is Gatebreaker Ramimage, and last is Gate Colossusimage. Be mindful of Banefireimage, and keep your lifetotal above your opponent's mana total.

 

Mono Blue:

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Warrant // Wardenimage on a creature with Curious Obsessionimage hurts your opponent. Frilled Mysticimage is great in this matchup because it can't be countered with Negateimage or Spell Pierceimage. Get it out early and start swinging. Be wary of Siren Stormtamerimage and target that as a priority over every other card. Float mana so you can counterspell their counterspell. This is your second toughest matchup after mono red, though you are still favored due to the amount of counterspells you run and your Wilderness Reclamationimage.

 

Sultai Control:

image

Counterspell their Wilderness Reclamationimage. If your opponent lands a Wilderness Reclamationimage, this is going to be a long game. You run more counters, and instead of Vraska's Contemptimage you have a Ixalan's Bindingimage. You have Teferi, Hero of Dominariaimage, which will put you at an edge over this matchup.

 

Esper Control:

image

Keep your mana open for counters. This is a slow but easy matchup. Wilderness Reclamationimage + Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruinimage allows you to out-value your opponents here. You want to be the second to drop Teferi, Hero of Dominariaimage if you have no other removal so that you can use the -3 ability.

 

Mirror:

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First one to resolve Wilderness Reclamationimage wins. Play it slow and safe.

 

Nexus:

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This isn't going to be in Bo1, but if you're piloting the deck in Bo3 sideboard in Devious Cover-Upimage.

 

 

Update 3/6/19: Modified sideboard and added to the write-up. 

Update 3/4/19: Slight modifications to the list for March ranked season. Went from Plat 4 to 2 in about 1.5 hours of playtime with an approximate 85% winrate.

 

This list and minor variations got me to mythic in February 2019 with a 69.27% win rate. Almost the entirety of the climb was streamed, and the playlist of it can be found here:

https://www.twitch.tv/collections/bG2z9LKPiBU1TA


About CaptainJamoke

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Full time job: Attorney (No legal advice)

Location: North East, United States

 

 

 

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8 comments

CaptainJamoke
I would add two seal away and one depose/deploy. As for priority, the cards are about even. Probably Azcanta first since it synergizes so well with wilderness. Followed by either Warrant or Settle depending on the meta you're facing.
ProblematicBaker
Hey, really like your deck. Currently missing one of each Search of Azcanta, Settle the Wreckage and Warrant//Warden, but will build towards them strictly. For the moment I play a Esper Dovins Acuity deck with Masterminds Acquisition. I guess for your deck priority to me is the third Settle the Wreckage, then Warrant//Warden and Search of Azcanta last? What cards could I use instead till I have the missing ones? Thanks in advance and best regards! :-)
CaptainJamoke
Sure thing. Happy to answer any questions.
bonsaidrop
thx for all the efford btw i follow on twich :D
CaptainJamoke
To clarify my previous comment Shalai was changed by my phone to “Shall I”
CaptainJamoke
This is built primarily for Bo1 right now. You can switch Harpooners for Tithe Takers if you’re seeing less mono-u. If you see more RDW, switch them for Revitalize. Shall I is another excellent choice which I’ve been testing, and it’s ability synergizes very nicely with Reclamation.
Bigslow
Ty for the write up, can't wait to try this deck out. And yes how would you twerk this for bo1?
RevTacoX
Hi! Thank you for this indepth write-up!

How would you tweak this for BO1?
CaptainJamoke
Last Updated: 14 Mar 2019
Created: 12 Feb 2019
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